Machine for setting the shape of textile articles



' 1943. 'r. w. PROSSER ETAL I 2,309,659

MACHINE FOR SETTING THE SHAPE OF TEXTILE ARTICLES Filed Feb, 12. 1940 2 Sheetflhoet 1 A RN T. W.' PROSSER ET AL FOR SETTING THE SHAPE OF TEXTILE ARTTCLES Feb. 2, 1943.

MACHINE 2 She'tS-ShQet 2- Filed Feb. 12, 1940 Thomas M Presser 'Jhh H. Z/fahlbec/t Patented Feb. 2, 1943 MACHINE non SETTING THE SHAPE 1 a TEXTILE narrows Thomas W. Prosser, Riverside, Calif., and John H.

Wahlbeck,

Kankakee, and Leslie H. Oswald and Leonard S. Kleinfeld, Chicago, 111., Paramount Textile Machinery 00.,

assignors to 7 Chicago,

111., a corporation of- Illinois Application February 12, 1940, Serial No. 318,448

5 Claims.

This invention relatesto machinery for the processing of hosiery or other textile articles andhas more particular reference to equipment used in one phase of the treatment of textile articles made from so-called nylon.

In the very recent past there has been introduced on the market textile articles, particularly hosiery, made from a synthetic fiber, chemically described as a. linear condensation polyamide and of which polyhexamethylene adipamide is the preferred embodiment and known to the trade as nylon. Textile fibers producedfrom this synthetic plastic are adapted to the production of hosiery, having characteristics more fully brought out in United States Patents No. 2,157,116, granted to W. H. Carothers, No. 2,157,117 and No. 2,157,119, granted to John B. Miles, Jr., and No. 2,157,118, granted to Winfield W. Heckert, all dated May 9, 1939. Due to the particular nature of nylon yarn, it must, after being fabricated into an article, be subjected to a setting treatment as described in those patents, and in the case of shaped textile articles, such as hosiery, to what is termed a preboarding treatment which may be considered as equivalent to a setting treatment,

This preboarding orsetting operation consists of subjecting the fabric to the presence of saturated steam or other vapors whereby the resiliency of the knitted loops, for example, may be reduced to maintain the article in a properly shaped condition.

For illustration, referring to a knitted stocking, it has been found that if the article is taken di-' rectly from the knitting machine, and a finishing, i. e. boarding operation similar to those employedv on silk or rayon, performed, the natural major wrinkles'cf the loose fabric will remain 'therein so that it is not saleable. Furthermore,

minor wrinkles evidenced as distorted stitches caused seriously mar the appearance of the fabric, and these neither may be removed by conventional boarding. These wrinkles are caused by the attempt of the resilient yarn forcibly kinked into loops, to return to the natural straight spun condition of the original yarn.

It has been found that by subjecting the fabric to saturated steam under pressure, the yarn is relaxed and the knitted loops become stabilized, so that subsequent finishing operations, e. g., dyeing, may be performed without injuring the uniform fabric structure.

Since the treatment of nylon hosiery by saturated steam is required to be done at a pressure flexibility.

by handling in the dyebath, for example.

" type described which made ready'for processing;

above atmospheric, thestockings must be placed in a suitable closable c'hamberdesigned to withstand such pressure. 1 Apparatus heretofore available for that purpose has been characterized by lack of proper means to adequately seal the chamber after the stockings have been placed therein; of means to expeditiously load and unload a charge of hosiery being processed; of automatic means to replace troublesome, timewasting manual operations; bulkiness; inconven ient positioning'of the forms; and too large a steam volume. r Accordingly, the principal object of'this inventionis the provision of a treating chamber or autoclave of substantial construction but great Another object is provision of such'an autoclave together with means for expeditiouslyloading and unloading a'battery of forms carrying the textile articles into and out of the treating chamber.

, Afurther object is the provision of an autoclave as above described, characterized bysimple and efiective means to seal the closure of the chamber after it has been charged.

Another object is the provision of novel means for supporting the forms with their stockings in preferred treating position while the same are within the chamber, and when out of'the chamber, for actuating them to a convenient position for stripping and clothing the forms.

A still further object is to furnish a machine of the-type described in which the forms are placed as closely adjacent'as possible transversely and in such a position as to lengthwise and widthwise dimensions as to occupy the least amount of room in order that the interior volume of the chamber'is a minimum, whereby the least amount of steam is used percharge; and exhaustion and refilling time of the chamber is minimum;

Another object is the provision of an autoclave of the type described which may be very quickly and cheaply expanded to accommodate a larger number ofarticles per charge.

Another object is to provide a device of the is usable continuously so that the machine is not idle while a group of articles which has been processed is stripped from the forms and another group of articles being Another object is to provide easily manipulahle 'iorm supporting means permitting rapid engagement and disengagement of the forms when interchange. is desired of one shape of form for another.

Other objects will appear as the description proceeds.

For convenience, the apparatus will be described as adapted .to the setting of hosiery knit of nylon, although it will be apparent to those familiar with the art that the same may, with minor modifications in design, be employed for other shaped fabric articles, either of nylon or other fibres, synthetic or natural, knitted, woven, netted, braided or otherwise fabricated, and for the setting of fibres, yarn or piece, goods. it being the intent to comprehend apparatus for setting any yarn, bristle, fibre, or article fabricated thereof or including the same, which has its characteristics improved by setting in a closed chamber under the influence of a suitable setting medium.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a preferred form of the invention showing the chamber, form truck and form carriage with the door open,

and abattery of forms Just being entered in the chamber;

Figure 2 is a. front elevation-of the autoclave of Figure 1 showing the door closed and locked;

Figure 3 is a side elevation in partial cross section of the autoclave, form truck, form carriageand some of the forms..

Figure 4 is a detail of one of the form mountings;

Figure 5 is a plan view of an autoclave of enlarged capacity; v

Figure 6 is a cross section of one type of form usable with the apparatus;

Figure 7 is a cross section of another'type of form usable with the apparatus; and

Figure 8 is the detail of the means for locating the form carriage accuratelywith respect to the chamber, and of the means to lock the form truck andcarriage together.

In some of the drawings inconsequential parts have necessarily been broken away for clarity.

Now referring to Figures 1, 2 and 3, l2 indicates the autoclave proper which comprises a chamber of rectangular section whose longer dimension is vertical, and preferably formed by a steel plate 13, flanged at the ends l4 and I5. Said flange may be incorporated. with the shell 13 by welding, riveting or equivalent means. To withstand the interior steam pressure to which the vessel is subjected, the expanse of plate forming the shell 13 may be reinforced peripherally by welded bands i6 of suflicient size and number. The permanently closed rear of the autoclave I2 is formed of a flat steel plate l1 attached to the flange I5 by a plurality of bolts l9 and a gasket 19 is provided between the flange I5 and plate 11 to seal the joint. The autoclave is supported at the required working height from' the floor on channel irons 22, fastened, by welding or otherwise, to the shell I3 and to skids 23 to facilitate movement and erection of the unit. It will be noted at this juncture that the interior 24 of the chamber is j'ust large enough to accommodate the forms (in this instance hosiery forms) and their associated carriage, as will be later described.

Hinged at 25, 25 to one side of the flange I4 is a door 26 co-extensive with the outerdimensions of the flange i4 and'provided with a rectangular gasket 21 to seal the joint between the flange and the door-when the latter is closed.

. Provided in the door 26 is a plurality of ui-shaped slots 28, in this instance six in number, with which are adapted to engage the eye bolts 29,

one individual to each slot 28. Said bolts are pivoted in any convenient manner at 32 to the shell l3 and on the free threaded end each is provided with a hand wheel 33. Thus it will be seen 5 that when the door 26 is closed, the bolts 33 may be swung into their respective slots and the door closed tightly by means of the hand wheels 33.

At the top of shell i3 is provided a steam inlet 34 and on the inner side of said shell a baille plate 35 to dissipate the entering steam and obviate its impingement directly on the articles being processed. Also at the top of the shell I3 is mounted a safety valve 36 and at the bottom of the shell l3 an exhaust opening 31. On the front door 26 are mounted thermometers 42, 42 for indicating the temperature of the treating medium within the autoclave, and petcocks 43, 43

g for determining, if desired, whether all air has been exhausted from within. A pressure gauge 44 mounted at any convenient place on the shell indicates the treating fluid pressure.

Fastened within the chamber, by welding or other means, and extending the full depth thereof is a pair of rails 46, one on each side and a mating, similar pair of rails 41 is carried on a truck generally indicated at 52. Said truck comprises end frames 53, 53 held rigidly together by struts 54 and by the rails 41. Mounted on the lower corners of each of the frames 53 is a pair of swivel casters 55 by which the truck may be manipulated.

The horizontal spacing and elevation of the rails 41 is identical with rails 46 so that said truck may be moved to align the two sets of rails (see Figure 8). A pair of ears 56, 56, one on the inner end of each rail 41, enters between the inner sides of the shell i3 to facilitate rapid alignment of rails 41 and rails 46 when the truck is pushed into position for loading the autoclave.

To prevent the truck from being accidentally dislodged after it has been brought into operative relation to the chamber, there is provided a locking mechanism comprising a latch 62, booked at its inner extremity, pivoted at 63 and normally urged counter-clockwise by means of the spring 64. A link 65 connects lever 62 with handle 66 pivoted on the truck at 61. An upturned end 68 of handle 66 terminates in a knob 69 positioned conveniently to the operator.

Adapted to be rolled on or off the truck 52 is a form carriage 12 which comprises end frames 13 of generally triangular shape held in operative relation by the upper shaft 14 and lower shaft 15. Set screws 16 at each end serve to hold the end supports 13 and shafts 14 and 15 rigidly together.

Each frame 13 is provided at its lower corners with a pair of outturned lugs 82 through which passes the shaft 93; a roller 84 is mounted on each extremity of the shafts 83 and adapted to roll on the rails 41 and 46. Referring to Figure 4 there are pivoted on the lower shaft 15 and in face-toface relation the rocker arms 92, generally quadrant shaped and extending upwardly into a bifurcated extension 93. Mounted on each said extension by means of a threaded hole 94 in each arm thereof and screws 95 are the forms 96, in this case forty-eight in number, although for simplicity Figure 3 shows only a few of them. It will be understood that there is one rocker 92 for each form 96 so that each form may be individually swung about the common shaft 15. The upper shaft 14 serves as a stop to limit movement of a form 96 to either of its two positions, i. e., stripping 75 and boarding, or treating position. Set screws producing edges H2, H2 by 91 provided with lock nuts 90 permit adjustment of the two extreme positions of the rocker arm 92 so that the forms may be aligned when outside the chamber for ease in multiple stripping of the hose. Furthermore, set screws 9'! permit accurate positioning of the forms when in treating position so that they will enter the relatively narrow chamber 24 without striking. Chamber 24 is intentionally made of minimum cubical content consistent with the range of form sizes which will be used therewith, so that a minimum period of time and volume of treating fluid is used to fill the chamber and a minimum of time is taken to exhaust the same. It will be observed from Figure 1 that the forms 96 are tilted to a position wherein their irregular contour will fit the rectangular chamber most economically; and inasmuch as the forms are closely adjacent flatwise the chamber 24 is of minimum depth. Springs 99, one individual to each rocker arm 92 and fastened to a spring bar, (not shown) mounted on the form carriage I2 bias the forms into the position shown in Figure 1 for charging the chamber. Referring to Figure 8, I02 indicates a latch pivoted at I03 on the truck 52 and terminating in a knob I04 convenient to the operator, and provided with a cam surface l'ancl a latching surface I0'I fora purpose later to be described, a spring I05 urging said latch inwardly of the truck.

Although the machine is illustrated as including forms for drying hosiery, it will be understood that the apparatus, by a mere change in dimensions, is equally applicable to forms for processing other types of garments, as for example, sweaters and gloves. The forms 95 are generally of flat construction having crease producing edges, as is common on hosiery forms, and may be made of solid sheet metal or other material, cast metal, or fabricated from sheets cut to the contour desired to be given to the processed article. In Figure 6 is shown a cross section of a form which may be cast or otherwise made from a flat sheet, and comprises crease producing edges II2, H2 and preferably a longitudinal groove H3 for seating the seam of a stocking, all as commonly understood in the art. Figure '7 shows a fabricated form com prising side plates H4, H4 joined at the crease welding or otherwise, and stiffened in the center'by a rib H5 longitudinally of the form and welded or otherwise fastened thereto.

It'has been pointed out that the machine illustrated in Figure l is of a capacity to accommodate forty-eight hosiery drying forms. However, the chamber may be increased in size as shown in Figure 5, in which case the cover plate I! is removed and extra sections, similar to unit l2, generally indicated at I22, I22. are bolted to the primary unit I2 and to each other, and the cover plate I! fastened at the rear of the extreme section I22. It will be apparent that a gasket is inserted between sections I2 and I22 and between sections I22, I22 to effect steam tight joints. The construction is such that rails provided in each section I22 align and form continuous tracks so that several carriages of forms, such as I2, may be charged into the chamber at one time and processed simultaneously. To facilitate the withdrawal of the carriages farthest from the .operator, a long hook may be employed.

It will thus be seen that the autoclave of Figure 1 is flexible in design in that it is capable of being extended within reasonable limits, thereby substantially reducing investment in equipment.

The front door 26 and its associated mechanism is the more expensive part of the apparatus and therefore may serve a larger number of relatively inexpensive chambersections.

Operation of the apparatus just described will now be detailed. Assuming that the chamber is empty and that a'group of stockings has just been processed, one of the trucks 52 and its associated carriage I2 will be out of the autoclave and in a position convenient'of access by the operator. The operative will grasp one or more of the forms 96 clothed with stockings at thetoe portion and will rock said form or group thereof from the position shown in Figure 4-to the other position with the left hand stop screw 91 against the shaft 14 so that the form will take an'inclinedposition in front of the operator, similar to the dotted line position illustrated in Figure 25, The stocking or group thereof will then be stripped from the forms in one motion and laid to one side'on a piling table. All. but one' of the forms will be manually returned to normal position .and a stocking boarded on the form remaining out. This form and stocking will be returned to normal position and the next bare form moved forward for boarding. It is returned and the operation repeated on succeeding "bare forms of the group. A succeeding group of forms with their finished stockings are moved forward and stripped similarly and boarding proceeds as before until all of the processed stockings are removed and a fresh charge of untreated stockings is in position on theforms. The truck 52 is then wheeled towardthe chamber-.24 until lugs 56 alignthe two sets of rails-46 and 41, and the ends ofv thesame abut. As this occurs thehoo'k of latch 02 snaps 'over. the edge of the flange I4 therebyrestraining the truck from accidental shifting during the. re-

mainder of the charging operation.

The carriage I2 which has previously been rolled out-of the. autoclave I2 has latched itself from accidental dislodgment from the truck 52 while boarding and stripping proceeds by engaging one of its, casters 84on thesurface I01 of latch I02. I a

After the truck 52 and autoclave I2 have been locked together by latch 52, the operator, by means of the handle I04, releases the latch I02 and pushes the carriage'l2 into the chamber 24,

the casters 84 rolling from rails 41 onto rails 46.

' Then by means of knob 69 on handle 68 the operator actuates lever 66 to release latch 62 from the flange I4 to permit the truck 52 to be rolled away to clear the door 26, which is then closed. The hand wheels 33 are swung toposition bolts 29 in their slots 28, and are rotated .until a'tight joint is formed between the flange I4- and door 26.

A valve not shown) on exhaust outlet 31 is opened and a valve not shown) oh steam inlet 34 is opened so that steam or other acceptable treating medium, enters thel chamber 24 and.

sweeps the entrapped air out through opening 31.

' Whenall the air is out, the exhaust valveis closed and steam is permitted to continue entering until the desired steam pressure'is built up within the chamber 24, as indicated by thegauge 44 or by the thermometers 42, 42.

The petcocks 43 may be used to test whether all air has been exhausted.

A baffle 35 receives the incomingimpact of'the steam and dissipates it around the stockings so ings that happen to be located directly in the vicinity of 'the steam inlet.

Should some accident occur toincreasethe steam pressure beyond'the safe operating limit of caster 84 striking the surface I06 of the latch I02 will lock the carriage 12 with respect to the truck 52. Latch 62 is again released and the truck 52 moved away to repeat the operations already described.

Preferably more than one unit of form truck and carriage is employed so that the same may be boarded and stripped while the other unit is within the vessel, thereby obtaining continuous service from the autoclave.

Production may be increased by making only twenty-four forms instead of forty-eight serve one operator. Accordingly, the carriage I2 is modified so that a groupof twenty-four forms have their toes pointing as shown in-Figure l, and a group of twenty-four forms have the toes pointed in the opposite direction. In this manner one operator will stand at one end of the carriage to handle twenty-four forms and the other operator at the opposite end to handle the other twenty-four forms. Since average operator speed of boarding and stripping on twenty-four forms is practically'eqiiivalent to one treating cycle of the autoclave, two operators and two carriages each of forty-eight forms arranged as just described will maintain the autoclave in continuous service. Such a modified arrangement of forms has been found most productive for the sheerer types of hosiery, but it will be obvious that such arrangement will have its limitations if the treating cycle is substantially different, as maybe the case for other classes of textile articles.

Although there are shown preferred embodiments of the invention and certain variations thereof are described, it is not desired to limit this disclosure to those particular devices described and illustrated, since the various assemblies and mechanisms are capable of wide modification without departing from the spirit of this invention as outlinedsin the foregoing objects.

What is claimed is: M l

1. Apparatus for setting the shape of textile articles comprising in combination: a group of forms to receive the articles; a closable chamber to receive said forms as a group; a rocker arm individual to each said form for supporting the same and permitting movement of said forms singly or plurally from a normal position to a boarding and stripping position, comprising a boss provided with a circular hole and two extensions integral with said boss together forming the supporting portion; a mobile ,carrier for said forms including a shaft common to all said arms and a stop bar .common to all said arms, said shaft receiving thereon all said arms by the hole therein for pivotal movement thereabout from one said position to the other, and said bar being adapted to be engaged by said extensions to limit the movement of said forms from one said position to"the. other, said carrier being adapted to move into and out of said chamber; closure means for said chamber; and means to lock said 75 chamber and closure into sealed relationship with each other.

2. Apparatus for setting the shape of textile articles comprising in'combination: a group of forms to receive the articles; a closable chamber to receive said forms as a group; a rocker arm individual to each said form for supporting the same and permitting movement of said forms singly or plurally from a normal position to a boarding and stripping position, comprising a boss provided with a circular hole and two extensions integral with said boss together forming the supporting portion; a carrier for said forms including a shaft common to all said arms 15 and a stop bar common to all said arms, said shaft receiving thereon all said arms by the hole therein for pivotal movement thereabout from one said position to the other, and said bar being adapted to be engaged by said extensions to limit the movement of said forms from one said position to the other; means for efiecting relative movement between said chamber and carrier;

closure means for said chamber; and means to lock said chamber and closure into sealed relationship with each other.

3. Apparatus for setting the shape of textile articles comprising in combination: a group of forms to receive the articles; a closable chamber to receive said forms as a group; a rocker arm individual to each said form for supporting the same and permitting movement of said forms singly or plurally from a normal position to a boarding and stripping position, comprising a boss provided with a circular hole and two extensions integral with said boss together forming the' supporting portion; a mobile carrier for said forms including a shaft common to all said arms and a stop bar common to all said arms, said shaft receiving thereon all said arms by the hole 40 therein for pivotal movement thereabout from one said position to the other, the said bar being adaptedto be engaged by said extensions to limit the movement of said forms from one said position to the other; a manipulative truck exteriorly of said chamber having means to receive said carrier thereon, said carrier being movable out of said chamber on to said truck or from said truck into said chamber; closure means for said chamber; and means to lock said chamber and closure to sealed relationship with each other.

4. Apparatus for setting the shape of textile articles comprising in combination: a plurality of groups of forms to receive the articles; a closable chamber to receive said forms a group at a time; a rocker arm individual to each said form for supporting the same and permitting movement of said forms singly or plurally from a normal position to a boarding and stripping position,comprising a boss provided with a circular hole and two extensions integral with said boss together forming the supporting portion; a plurality of mobile carriers for said forms, one individual to each said group and each including a shaft common to all said arms and a stop bar common to all said arms, said shaft receiving thereon all said arms by the hole therein for pivotal movement thereabout from one said position to the other, the said bar being adapted to be engaged by said extensions to limit the movement of said forms from one said position to the other, said carriers adapted to be moved singly and selectively into and out ofsaid chamber; and means to lock said chamber and closure into sealed relationship'with' each other.

5. Apparatus for setting the shape of textile sameand permitting movement of said forms singly or plurally from a normal position to a boarding and stripping position, comprising a boss provided with a circular hole and two extensions integral with said boss together forming the supporting portion; a mobile carrier for said forms including a shaft common to all said arms and a stop bar common to all said arms, said shaft receiving thereon all said arms by the hole therein for pivotal movement thereabout from one said position to the other, and said bar being posed between said arms and said carrier for biasing said forms into normal position. 

